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The Chhattisgarh Chronicles

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Finally after 6 months I could finish my Chhattisgarh Travelogue. Here is a consolidated post with links to previous posts and some general information. Click on the images to go the corresponding posts.

Chhattisgarh - Full of Surprises!

The Journey to the Tribal HeartLand - Bastar.

Chitrakote Falls and Kanger Ghati National Park.

Bastar Crafts & Cultures.

How was the experience?

- Wonderful

How were the people?

- Wonderful and very helpful. And don’t be surprised if you find lot of people from the Telugu speaking fraternity! Many entrepreneurs from Andhra have settled there.

Was it safe?

- Well now I cannot go out on a limb and proclaim anything. But I did feel very safe during my 4 day stay at Bastar. When we asked the people there about the naxal problem all they had to say was even we see/hear about them only in news like you people do. It mostly happens in remote villages or deep forests. Not here.

- A lot of old temples whose names i do not know. But yes, i know there are lots. Ask your tour operator or the hotel manager.

- Chitradhara Falls, Thamada Ghumar Falls – a straight 96ft drop, Mandwa Falls and many more. Remember, the land is still being explored. A comprehensive list here

- If you manage to visit during October, you could also witness the grand Dussera Celebrations spanning 75 days.

What are the transport options?

- The central base point for travel here can be Jagdalpur which is the district headquarters for Bastar. And the nearest big cities from this place are Raipur at 300 kms and Vishakhapatnam (Vizag) at 323 kms. A train runs to and fro from Vizag everyday.
The train numbers will be 1VK and 2VK. Besides, Jagdalpur is well connected by road to many major places. We went from Vizag to Jagdalpur by train and returned to Vizag by bus which was very comfortable.

Where to stay?

- There is govt. run Chitrakote Resort right in front of the falls which is great and offered at a very reasonable price of 1500 rupees per night. And if you happen to have a choice, opt for the first room which has an awesome view of the falls from inside the room through glass windows.

- At Jagdalpur, we stayed at Hotel Rainbow which was strictly just about ok. If a shelter for night is all you are looking for, this hotel gives enough for 500rs per night. But anything more than that, you will be better off staying at one of those resorts in Jagdalpur.

- Oh! If you are staying at any of the resorts, don’t forget to request for the traditional Madiya tribe dance with the bull headdress

What is the best time to visit?

- Anytime after the monsoon and before summer is good. As most of the waterfalls are seasonal, timing is essential. July - October should be good.

- It can get very hot in summers and the waterfalls may be dried fully.

Were there any tourists around?

- Although this place hasn’t reached the peaks of popularity with whole of India yet, it is very popular with the locals around. Kolkata, Raipur, Visakhapatnam are some cities apart from the many towns from where people flock. You will see a lot of foreigners too. The campaign run by the CTB seems to have worked like a charm.

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11
comments

Wonderful pics, too! Thanks for sharing them... and thereby enabling us to have a de tour of Chattisgarh... while sitting in our homes ;) Armchair tourism at its best! :D

btw... last week there was an exhibition @ KCP - Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat... showcasing handicrafts from every nook and corner of this country.

That included a stall from Chattisgarh as well. They had the "rain maker" - a bamboo stick sealed from both ends, with seeds inside. On gently tilting it both ways... one can hear a sound akin to the sound of rainfall.

And the "whistling flute" as well. Needless to say... I've promptly added it to my collection... !

There were other stuffs too. Keep an eye on the papers... the next crafts show is due to be held in Dec-Jan.

P.S. Wish you a very happy, safe and prosperous Deepavali/Kali Puja... !!! May the festival of lights bring lots of happiness and colour into your life and a New Year blessed with prosperity!

I loved your pictures, i am working on a project on chhattisgarh and would like to source a few photos as stock from you. My email is vikramjit_sardar@hotmail.comMobile no: 09987572063 If you are willing then do get back to me ASAP :) Thanks!

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About me

A travel writer and photographer by profession, I am an offbeat and adventure travel enthusiast. Eschewing touristy things and sightseeing, I prefer to trek or travel to remote corners in search of extraordinary stories. I recently quit my 7-year job as a Software Engineer to do all of this full time! Words and Images in BBC, NatGeo Traveller, Travel+Leisure, Mint, Indian Express and more.

Head over to About me page to know more. You can contact me at i.thewanderingsoul@gmail.com